How to Make a DIY Vaporizer at Home: Heat Gun, Box & Lightbulb

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The best DIY weed vapes for beginners and experts

Co-authored by Mason Martinez, BA

Last Updated: July 16, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using a Heatgun

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Making a Box Vaporizer

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Using a Lightbulb

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Warnings

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Things You'll Need

Vaporizers, or Volcanoes, are used in place of traditional smoking devices to inhale the vapors of marijuana and other smokables instead of breathing in carcinogens. However, vaporizers tend to have a high price tag for users. Fortunately, this guide can teach you how to make your own vaporizers with everyday household items!

Quick DIY Vaporizer

Cut two holes in a bottle cap and push a straw through one hole. Cut the top off a bottle and very carefully cut the bottom off a clear lightbulb. Attach the bulb and the bottle's neck with tape. Fill the lightbulb with marijuana and screw the bottle cap on. Heat and breathe through the straw.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using a Heatgun

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1
Line the insides of two toilet paper tubes with aluminum foil. Use a pen or ruler to help unroll the foil inside of the tube. Leave an inch of excess foil on the lip of the tube. Fold it over the lip to secure the foil.^{[1]
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- Aluminum is known as a neurotoxicant, meaning it can cause negative effects to the brain.^{[2]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  
  PubMed Central
  Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health
  
  Go to source} Some studies suggest that high exposure to aluminum may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.^{[3]
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  Research source} Use with caution.
Point the funnel outward, with the narrow end sitting inside of the tube. To create a tight seal, apply a layer of duct tape or a similar heat-resistant tape to secure the funnel.^{[4]
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Cinch an oven bag over the funnel and secure it with twist ties. Fix the open mouth of an oven or turkey bag over the large end of the funnel. Secure the bag to the tube with a twist tie. Then, fold the edges of the bag over the tie and secure it again to the tube with another. This helps ensure the bag is snug against the nozzle, so no vapor can escape.^{[5]
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- The bag collects the vapor as you heat it. Pass the bag around. Use your thumb, a cloth, or a paper towel to plug the hole when you're not using it.
4
Place the toilet paper tube over the nozzle of a heat gun. Now it's time to assemble the vaporizer! Aim the heat gun straight up in the air, placing the extra toilet paper tube (without the funnel) over the heat nozzle. Fill a tea ball with grounded marijuana, resting atop the toilet paper tube. Fix the tube with the funnel on top.^{[6]
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- Opt for a heat gun that can heat between 350°F to 400°F (176°C to 204°C). The ideal target temperature is 375°F (190°C).^{[7]
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- To grind your marijuana, simply place a bud in a grinder and twist clockwise. If you don't have a grinder, chop small bits of weed with scissors inside a glass cup.
5
Switch the heat gun to the "ON" position. Watch the bag slowly inflate with vapor. It may not be easy to see, but trust that it's there. When the bag fully inflates, switch the heat gun to the off position. Lift the tube with the funnel quickly and inhale the vapor through the bottom end. Take turns inhaling until there's no more vapor in the oven bag.^{[8]
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- When using a heat gun, never touch the hot metal nozzle or vape while it's on. Allow it to cool for a few seconds before using it to limit the risk of injury or burns.^{[9]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making a Box Vaporizer

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1
Place a small tea candle inside an empty cardboard box. Use a small (12’’ x 12’’) to medium-sized (18’’ x 18’’) box to ensure the heat can quickly rise. Set the tea candle in the middle of the box to prevent any fires.^{[10]
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- Use larger candles if you have a large box.
2
Rest a small metal tray over the lip of the box. Sprinkle a generous amount of ground marijuana into the tray. Then, place the tray over the flame so it can heat. It helps to keep the flame low enough not to scorch the tin too badly.^{[11]
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- You can use any heat-resistant tray or even the top lid of a candle.
Find a glass jar or bowl big enough to fit over your tin. Allow the glass to fill with vapor. It may take several minutes to fill.^{[12]
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Snake a rubber tube into the jar and inhale. When the glass jar fills with vapor, carefully slip a rubber tube or bendy straw under the lip of the jar. Inhale as if you were using a bong or smoking a joint.^{[13]
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- Use your thumb to cover the tube as you pass it around or between hits to avoid wasting the vapor.
- Smoking is harmful to lung health, regardless of whether you're burning wood for a fire or smoking tobacco or marijuana. Smoking may cause chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, and more. Proceed with caution.^{[14]
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  American Lung Association
  Nonprofit health organization dedicated to improving lung health through education, advocacy, and research
  
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using a Lightbulb

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Grab an empty plastic 12 fluid ounces (1.5 c) water or soda bottle and remove the cap. It may help to use an utility knife to create two big "X" slits on the cap. Slide a straw through one slit. This is what you'll use to smoke out of. Ensure the hole is airtight; if not, roll some tight around the sides of the straw.^{[15]
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2
Cut the neck off the bottle with scissors. Leave yourself at least 3 or 4 inches (7.6 or 10.2 cm) of the neck of the bottle. You'll use this to attach to the light bulb, acting as the vaporization chamber.^{[16]
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- If you're concerned about BPA-related issues with smoking out of plastic, you can substitute any non-plastic tube into the bulb that fits. The stem of a small metal flashlight might work nicely.
3
Use a serrated saw blade to cut off the base of a lightbulb. Wrap the lightbulb in a clean towel; be careful not to squeeze too tightly to avoid breaking it. The towel will act as a protective barrier against glass injury. Cut the glass slowly where the glass meets the metal, and rotate the bulb as you cut through.^{[17]
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- You may need to pull the rest of the metal off with pliers. Extract the filament and interior components of the lightbulb so the glass chamber is empty.
- Opt for clean, clear glass lightbulbs and change them out regularly. For instance, compact fluorescent light bulbs contain a small amount of mercury, which can be highly toxic. ^{[18]
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4
Tape the bottle’s neck to the hole and screw the cap on. Use plenty of duct or heat-resistant-rape to fix the bottle's neck and lightbulb stem's ends to create an airtight seal. Carefully pour grounded marijuana into the bottle opening before screwing the cap on. Ensure all the contact points are well sealed. Add more tape as necessary.^{[19]
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- If you have difficulty, pour the weed into the bottle using a funnel.
To smoke, inhale through the straw as you gently heat the bottom of the lightbulb with a torch lighter. Use your finger to block vapor from escaping through the open hole. Rotate the bulb to avoid scorching the weed. Look for a misty haze to form inside the bulb before uncovering the hole to inhale.^{[20]
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Warnings

If you want to vape for health reasons, it's safer to purchase a reputable vaporizer or an inexpensive glass pipe.

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Using a vaporizer may lessen the risk of carbon monoxide emissions and exposure to toxins that can be damaging to your health while producing similar effects as other THC smoking methods.^{[21]
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PubMed Central
Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health

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Users may experience intense effects and cognitive impairment, so avoid operating heavy machinery or driving.

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Use clear glass lightbulbs since compact fluorescent lightbulbs contain small amounts of mercury, which can be highly toxic if inhaled.^{[22]
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